Google Spent Almost $2 Billion on Buyouts in 2011

Google spent a whopping $1.9 billion throughout 2011 just in buyouts of other firms, totalling at 79 new companies taken under the search giant's wing by the end of the 4th quarter.

This is a far larger figure that the one seen in 2010, where Google spent a measly $1 billion on only 48 acquisitions, a figure it had far surpassed by Q3 2011, with 55 buyouts for over $1.4 billion.

However, beyond that even, the search giant will spend over six times 2011 figures throughout 2012, if the buyout attempt of Motorola is given regulatory approval. According to Tech Crunch, the current deal sits at $12.5 billion in cash and stock. If it falls through for some reason, or it is considered anti-competitive by regulators, then there is still a $2.5 billion termination fee to consider.

Google has a long history of buying up promising technology and web firms, before integrating their services in Google's own. Some of the ones in 2011 included Kotango and SocialGrapple, two companies that had their businesses folded into Google +. Similarly, DealMap, Zave Networks and DailyDeal all became one with Google Offers, a "Deal of the Day" service that works on a localised basis. It came about after a failed attempt by the search giant to buy similar business Groupon.